Electric meter.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VITTORIO ARCIONI, OF SPOLETO, ITALY, ASSIGNOR TO CAMILLO OLIVETTI, OF IVREA, ITALY.

ELECTRIC M ETER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No.'683,831, dated October 1, 1901.

Application filed June 5, 1901. Serial No. 63,254. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom it mcty concern:

Be it known that I, VITTORIO ARcIoNI, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Spoleto, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Meters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric meters, the same residing particularly in novel means for preventing damage to the instrument due to an overload or an excessive flow of current through the same.

The object of the invention is to provide means thrown into operation by a moving part of the instrument for decreasing the flow of current therethrough.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for actuating a signaling device or alarm simultaneously with the decrease of the current flow through the instrument.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be defined in the claims. In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrative of my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View of a modified construction. Fig. 3 is a detail view.

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

My improvements are designed for use in connection with a voltmeter, ammeter, wattmeter, or any other form of electrical measuring device.

The meter 1 (shown diagrammatically in the drawings) has leading into and from the same the wires 2 and 3, respectively, the same being connected with the wire 4 within the instrument, which constitutes the working portion of the circuit. 5 is an indicating hand or pointer 01' other movable part of the instrument, which is operated by the flow of current through the wire 4 in the usual manner. In connection with these parts I employ a shunt-circuit around the wire 4, the same including a wire 6, a solenoid 7, a wire 8, a contact-spring 9, constituting a movable circuit-controller, a rod 10, and a wire 11. The wires 6 and 11 are connected with the leadingin and leading-out wires 2 and 3, preferably at the point of juncture of the latter wires with the wire 4, which constitutes the working part of the circuit within the instrument. The contact-spring 9 is normally out of engagement with the rod 10, and the free end thereof may be formed with a crook or lateral projection 12, which lies within the path of movement of the movable part 5 of the instrument, so that when said movable part 5 is moved to the right it will force said contactspring 9 into engagement with the rod 10 and close the shunt-circuit. The normal course of the current through the instrument is in through the wire 2 to the wire 4 and thence out of theinstrument through the wire 3. The flow of current over this path causes the movable part 5 of the instrument to be moved toward the contact-spring 9 to agreater or less extent, according to the volume, potential, or other value of the current flowing. If the currentflow through the instrument becomes excessive, or rather when it is in danger of burning out or otherwise damaging the instrument, the movable part 5 of the device will be moved up to the crook 12 on the contactspring 9, and a further movement of said movable part 5 to the right will cause the contact-spring 9 to be brought into engagement with the rod 10, closing the shunt-circuit over the following path: wire 6, solenoid 7, wire 8, contact-spring 9, rod 10, and wire 11. This shunt-circuit is preferably of lower resistance than that olfered by the wire 4, and as a result the current entering the in strument through the wire 2 will divide itself, the greater portion thereof passing through the shunt-circuit just traced and out of the instrument through the wire 3. The result of this action will be that the flow of current through the wire 4, which constitutes the working portion of the circuit through the instrument, will be very materially reduced and danger of burning out or otherwise damaging the instrument is avoided. Of course when the current flows through the shuntcircuit above referred to and that which flows through the wire 4 is reduced the movable part 5 of the instrument is permitted to move to the left, with the result that the shunt-circuit is immediately broken by the contact-spring 9 moving away from the rod 10. An increased current then passes through the wire 4, and the movable part 5 is again moved to the right, bringing about contact between the spring 9 and the rod 10, again closing the shunt-circuit and reducing the current-flow through the wire 4. It will thus be seen that an oscillating or vibratorymovement will be imparted to the movable part 5, due to the intermittent increase and decrease of the current-flow through the wire 4. The intermittent decrease of the current-flow through the instrument, however, will in most cases be sufficient to prevent damage to the instrument. In the event, however, that it is desired to permanently reduce the current-flow through the wire 4 means may be provided for holding the contact-spring 9 in engagement with the rod 10 after it has once been moved to this position. Any suitable device for this purpose may be employed; but I have illustrated in the drawings a detent-spring 13, which is adapted to engage and hold the spring 9 in contact with the rod 10 as soon as it has once been moved into contact with said rod. The said spring 13 is formed with an inclined surface 14 and with a shoulder 15 behind the same.

I have heretofore stated that a portion of the shunt-circuit around the wire 4 includes a solenoid 7. This solenoid is not essential and may be omitted when it is merely desired to reduce the flow of current through the instrument. I propose to use, however, in connection with the parts above described a bell or other signaling device 16, which is thrown into operation as soon as the shuntcircuit around the wire 4 is closed. The local circuit, through which the bell 16 or other signaling device is operated, may be closed by the core 17 of the solenoid, which core is moved longitudinally in said solenoid as soon as the latter is energized by the passage of current through the coil thereof. Of course the hell or other signaling device 16 may be connected up in any other suitable manner besides that which is shown herein. The only essential to my invention is that the bell 16 shall be operated as soon as the shunt-circuit around the wire 4 is closed. The said bell 16 may of course be located at any suitable point removed to a greater or less extent from the instrument 1.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings I show a modified construction, according to which the flow of current through the instrument is decreased by automatically connecting up in series with the circuit through the instrument a resistance. As in the construction shown in Fig. 1, the hand or pointer 5 or other movable part of the instrument is thrown into operation by the flow of current through the wire 4, which constitutes the working portion of the circuit in the instrument and is supplied from the leading-in wire 2 and has connected with it the leading-out wire 3 The wire 2 is connected with a support 18 for the contact-spring 9, which contact-spring normally lies in contact with the rod 10, from which leads the wires 19 and 20 to the wire 4.

Around. the contact-spring 9, which constitutes a movable circuit-controller, the rod 10, and the wire 19 is an auxiliary circuit consisting of the wire 21, resistance-coil 22, and the wire 23. The coil 22 is of greater resist ance than that oifered by the normal circuit through the instrument, which includes the wire 4, so that when the contact-spring 9 is in its normal position in engagement with the rod 1O the flow of current through the instrument is as follows: from the wire 2 through the support 18, contact-spring 9, rod 10, and wires 19 and 20 to the wire 4,which constitutes the working portion of the circuit in the instru ment, and thence out through the wire 3 Of course as the resistance-coil 22 is in multiple with the wire 4 a portion of the circuit will normally pass through said coil; but as it is of much greater resistance than that ofiered by the circuit. just traced the major portion of the current willflow through said circuit. Now as the current flow increases the movable part 5 will be moved to the right, and when a dangerous point is reached said movable part 5 will be brought into engagement with the contact-spring 9 and the latter will be moved away from the rod 10 breaking the normal circuit between said spring 9 and said rod 10 and throwing into the main circuit through the instrument the auxiliary circuit,which includes the wires 21 and 23 and the resistance-coil 22. The coil 22 and the wire 4 are now in series with each other, and as said coil 22 is of high resistance the flow of current through the wire 4 will be materially decreased. I When said current-flow is decreased, the movable part 5 will be moved away from the contactspring 9, with the result that the normal circuit through the instrument, above traced,

.will be closed. As soon as said normal circuit is again closed, however, if an excessive or dangerous current be still flowing through the wire 2 the movable part 5 will again be moved to the right, separating the spring 9 from the rod 10" and throwing the resistancecoil 22 again in' series with the wire 4. An oscillating or vibratory movement will therefore be imparted to the movable part 5, just as was done according to the construction illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When it is desired to maintain the resistance-coil 2 in series with the wire 4 after the contact between the spring 9 has once been broken, the spring-detent 13 will be employed, which is similar in all respects and acts in the same way as the detent 13 above described. Of course for the detent 13 or 13 I may substitute any other form of retaining device for the contact-sprin g. I have described the coil 22 as being a resistance-coil. I prefer, however, to use at this point a solenoid similar to the solenoid 7, which acts upon the hell or other signaling device 16 in the manner described with reference to the construction shown in Fig. 1. Instead of the solenoid,

however, any other form of resistance may be employed which will act to operate a signaling device as soon as the same is thrown in series with the wire 4.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric meter, a movable part actuated by the flow of current through the instrument, and a movable circuit controller adapted to be engaged and moved thereby for decreasing the flow of current through the instrument.

2. In an electric meter, an indicating hand or pointer connected therewith and operated thereby, and a movable circuit-controller adapted to be engaged and moved by said hand or pointer for decreasing the flow of current through the instrument.

3. In an electric meter, a movable part actuated by the flow of current through the instrument, and a movable circuit-controller adapted to be engaged and moved thereby for automatically decreasing the flow of current through the instrument.

4. In an electric meter, an indicating hand or pointer connected therewith and operated thereby, and a movable circuit controller adapted to be engaged and moved by said hand or pointer for automatically decreasing the flow of current through the instrument.

5. In an electric meter, a movable part actuated by the flow of current through the instrument, a signaling device, and means thrown into operation by said movable part for automatically decreasing the How of current through the instrument and simultaneously throwing into operation said signaling device.

6. In an electric meter, a hand or pointer connected therewith and operated thereby, a signaling device, and means thrown into operation by said hand or pointer for decreasing the flow of current through the instrument and simultaneously throwing into operation said signaling device.

7. In an electric meter, a wire or conductor constituting the working portion of a circuit through the instrument, a movable part actuated by the flow of current through said Wire, a normally open shunt-circuit around said wire, and a movable circuitcontroller adapted to be engaged and moved by said movable part for closing said shunt-circuit.

8. In an electric meter, a wire or conductor constituting the working portion of a circuit through the instrument, a movable part actuated by the flow of current through said wire, a normally open shunt-circuit around said wire, and a movable contact-spring for closing said circuit adapted to be engaged and moved by said movable part.

9. In an electric meter, a wire or conductor constituting the working portion of a circuit through the instrument, a movable part actuated by the flow of current through said wire, a normally open shunt-circuit around said wire, and a contact-spring lying within the path of movement of said movable part and adapted to be moved thereby for closing said shunt-circuit.

10. In an electric meter, a wire or conductor constituting the working portion of a circuit through the instrument, a movable part actuated by the flow of current through said wire, a normally open shunt-circuit around said wire,a contact-spring for closing said circuit thrown into operation by said movable part, and a retaining device for holding said spring in circuit-closing position when itha-s once been moved to such position.

11. In an electric meter, a wire or conductor constituting the working portion of a circuit through the instrument, a movable part actuated by the flow of current through said wire, a normally open shuntcircuit around said wire,means thrown into operation by said movable part for closing said shunt-circuit,

.and a signaling device automatically thrown into operation by the closing of said shuntcircuit.

12. In an electric meter, a wire or conductor constituting the working portion of a circuit through the instrument, a movable part actuated by the flow of current through said wire, a normally open shunt-circuit around said wire, a solenoid in said shunt-circuit, means thrown into operation by said movable part for closing said shunt-circuit, a signaling device, and connections between the same and said solenoid, whereby said signaling device is thrown into operation when said shunt-circuit is closed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VI'ITORIO AROIONI.

WVitnesses:

MAURIZIO OIsoNE, ANGELO LILI. 

